The ICES convention is coming to my hometown and I'd love to be able to go to it, but I'm so confused by their website... Do i have to be a member of ICES to go? Is the registration fee just to get into the convention or is it to submit a cake? Can I just go in to look around?
If anyone has been to an ICES or just knows what I need to do, i'd appreciate it, I really don't want to miss out on this. TIA

Hello.

You don't have to be a member to go but the registration is cheaper if you are a member. Membership is like $60.

The fee gets you into the convention itself - the breakfast meeting, banquet, vendor room, cake room, enter a cake, etc.

If you just want to view the cake room and do some shopping, I believe a pass is like $50. I'm not sure if that includes being able to enter a cake, I think you'd have to be a registered attendee for that.

Demos and hands on classes are extra. Demos last year were $5 each and classes were $50. I'm not sure if it's the same this time.

I planned on going but not sure. The demos weren't really peaking my interest. Cake Camp is looking more appealing for this year. Since it is in your hometown, I'd definitely try to go if I was you! They love first-timers.

Hi
As Iron Baker said it is cheaper to go if you are a member, so if you are going there really isn't any reason not to become a member.
The demos are $7 this year. Yes the shoppers pass is $50 and the cake room pass by itself it $10
Did you see the ICES convention website? it is a easier to read than the ICES website. In case you didn't here it is http://ices09.org/Convention_FAQ.html